Here’s the good news about the live-action Star Wars television series that has been in development for years: It’s apparently just like the movies, but on a weekly basis. Here’s the bad news: It may be too expensive to actually make.

The live action TV show is kind of on hold because we have scripts, but we don’t know how to do ’em. Because, they literally are Star Wars, only we’re going to have to try to do them [at] a tenth [of] the cost. And, it’s a huge challenge… lot bigger than what we thought it was gonna be.

It’s a shame, because what we do know about the project makes it sound like something worth seeing.

The series was originally proposed as 100 hour-long episodes filling in the space between the fall of the Republic at the end of Revenge of The Sith and the ongoing rebellion against the Empire seen at the start of A New Hope, although producer Rick McCallum later suggested an alternate plan of running multiple series simultaneously to tell a massive arc of somewhere around 400 episodes. The show would be different in tone from either the movies or The Clone Wars, moving towards a darker, more character-based storytelling instead of the operatic sweep of Star Wars as we know it, and would’ve, for the most part, focused on non-Jedi or Sith characters (Which makes sense, considering the Jedi were effectively wiped out in Revenge, and considered a myth by the start of A New Hope), with McCallum telling an interviewer to “think about bounty hunter” when it comes to lead characters. George Lucas himself was rumored to be writing the show’s first season, but other writers were being brought onboard, or at least interviewed for positions; in his book A Writer’s Tale, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies talks about meeting with Lucas to work on the show (He turned down the opportunity, sadly; I would’ve loved to have seen his take on the universe, considering how much of his Who seemed a love letter to Lucas).

I have to admit, I really hope that this show finds its way into production and onto our television screens; there’s something massively appealing to me about the idea of longform exploration of the Star Wars universe pre-Star Wars (the first movie), when everything was becoming the world so many people fell in love with the first time around, without the expectations and plot weight of having to tell Darth Vader’s origin story at the same time. Fingers crossed that the Force will ultimately be strong with this one.

In the history of cinema it’s hard to top the utter disappointment felt when watching George Lucas’ follow ups to the original Star Wars movies. From the horror of Jar Jar Binks (a completely humourless animated character introduced in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace) to the victory of special effects over substance, the style and sense of wonder present in the original three movies was nowhere to be found. With this level of disappointment, it’s great to read an interview inTotal Film Magazine where George Lucas reveals that he wants his new live action Star Wars TV series to be more like the original movies.

“It’s kind of likeEpisode IV — it’s funny and there’s action, but it’s [a] lot more talky. It’s more of what I would call a soap opera with a bunch of personal dramas in it. It’s not really based on action-adventure films from the ’30s — it’s actually more based on film noir movies from the ’40s!”

If by “more talky” he means more plot, depth and a more compelling narrative, I’m all for it. Even better was a quote from the show’s producer Rick McCallum on the Star Wars Blog:

“It’s a much darker, much more character-based series, much more adult, and we’re hoping that it will go on for up to 400 episodes,” he said.

In 2007, McCallum also said that the new TV show is “something that can go on for years and years. One of the ideas is that we’ll have multiple series going on in about two or three years’ time.”

More adult and more character focused (and darker without being silly!) is certainly what’s needed to overcome the problems of the last three Star Wars movies. I’m aware that they made a great deal of money, but I can’t imagine ever watching them again – even if they are released as special editions and converted to 3D. Imagine Jar Jar Binks in 3D! It’s too horrible to contemplate. If they really do make 400 episodes though, it will be hard to sustain the writing quality. Excellent TV series such as Lost, Fringe and Heroes struggle to avoid cliché and poor plotting and they are nowhere near the 400 episode mark.

According to io9 (via Wookiepedia and The Celebrity Cafe) the new Star Wars TV show takes place in the “dark times” between the last prequel Star Wars EpisodeIII: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, when most of the Jedi and anti-emperor politicians were hunted down and killed. Apparently it will be a gritty and dark series, which will star minor characters, including Boba Fett, C-3PO, and the Emperor Palpatine.

MTV recently revealed that the action will follow the Rebel Alliance as it slowly gains strength against the Empire, and as he did with the animated Clone Wars series, Lucas will write and produce an entire year’s worth of episodes before looking for a cable channel to air them.

When asked what he thought about the new Star Wars TV show by The Huffington Post, Mark Hamill, the actor who played the iconic role of Luke Skywalker in the original three Star Wars movies, appears to agree that George Lucas lost his way in the last three movies and that a TV series is a “positive step” forward:

“They’re going to really have to rely on good scripts rather than making it some special effects extravaganza,” Hamill said. “… he kind of got caught up in making it bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger until you’re just exploding with special effects all over the screen like some fireworks display. And to me, I think it’s more important to make the audience care about the characters. And I think with an hour script for TV, he might be able to reboot in a way that’s positive.”

When asked whether he would make an appearance in the new show he added:

“I don’t think it’s set in the time frame. I don’t know what the time frame is. My guess would be, if Luke appears, they’d want him younger. [Laughs] So they’d get a different actor. I really don’t know.”

Way back in 2005, the BBC reported that Lucas will write and produce the first season and then “hand it off from there”, while remaining executive producer and general overseer throughout the rest of the series. The style they are aiming for is apparently similar to Lucas’ Young Indiana Jones TV series.

There is no fixed release date for the show, but it’s expected sometime in 2011 or 2012 (with the end of 2010 no longer a possibility). According to MTV, casting for the series is currently underway.

Let’s hope the new Star Wars TV series, the first Star Wars spin off featuring live actors, makes up for the sins of the George Lucas follow up movies. I can’t live with another Jar Jar Binks or a young Anakin Skywalker in a futuristic racing vehicle (with sequences that look surprisingly like Xbox or PS3 computer games!). The sacrifices George Lucas appears to have made for the sake of blatant merchandising are disturbing.

Interestingly, speaking of Jar Jar, I came across an old Los Angeles Times article recently that reported that even some of the Lucasfilm team who worked on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menacehad doubts about Jar Jar Binks and recognised he would alienate audiences. Phantom‘s visual effects supervisor Rob Coleman told a seminar that he brought his concerns to George Lucas, who told him that he had designed Jar Jar to appeal to small children. “I only had one audience member to please and that was George Lucas,” Coleman said. “If he was happy with what we were doing with Jar Jar, then I was happy.”

Apologies to fans of the last three Star Wars movies, but they just don’t do it for me at all. Even making allowances for being younger and more impressionable when I watched the originals, the contrast is too stark.Remember the love story between Anakin and Padme? It was a frightening thing. Please George, save me from the memories of that walking talking animated buffoon, the one and hopefully only Jar Jar Binks. Erase the nightmare. Let your live action Star Wars TV show be a compelling new chapter in a series that has lost its way but deserves to rise from the ashes.

Alright younglings, this might be the Star Wars show for you! Yes, in the same tradition of the Marvel Superhero Squad cartoon, the Galactic Heroes toy line is rumored to have its own television show, aimed specifically at preschoolers and Kindergartners. If the rumors are true, they are currently in pre production with the working title: Squishes (let’s pray they stick with the Galactic Heroes toyline title!).

This move comes at a good time for Lucas, while his current The Clone Wars TV series is taking a turn towards the Dark Side of kids television, this title will be aimed at the youngest of the Star Wars fans, the ones who might find the current Clone Wars disturbingly dark.

What can you expect? Well it’s too early to say, but if one takes into account the Marvel version, this incarnation of the Star Wars characters should be a much lighter and all around more lighthearted Star Wars adventure for everyone.

At the present time there is still no word if Cartoon Network or its WB sister companies will be airing the series. EUCantina decided to hold off on posting this article until after April First worried it might have been a April Fool’s Prank that was leaked. It’s safe to say this wasn’t part of the pranks, whether or not it will see the light of day is another subject. But either way faithful Star Wars fans EUC will keep you informed. Stay Tuned!

One rumour I have heard is that writing about a young Princess Leia is off limits at the mo. Make of that what you will but I can’t remember where I heard it or how substantiated it is. But, going on that, I think we’ll see Bail Organa back for the TV show, along with the other original members of the Rebel Alliance. Aah, I feel right writing that – Rebel Alliance. Real Star Wars to me.

by Aaron Asadi
Rumours are whizzing around that the highly-anticipated Star Wars TV show now has its first writers attached. Currently, the favourite to be announced as one the TV series’ scribes is Australian TV producer and writer, John Edwards. If appointed, Edwards, who has been responsible for a clutch of successful domestic shows, including Out Of The Blue and Fireflies, will likely find himself under intense scrutiny from the most dedicated fanbase in the world.http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/john-edwards-to-write-star-wars-tv-show/

Jabba could be in Live-Action.This is from Creative Screenwriting Magazine newsletter an interview with Clone Wars writers Henry Gilroy, Steve Melching, and Scott Murphy.

Quote:Were there any initial mandates from George about what territory they wanted covered, or things they wanted you to avoid?

Gilroy: No, most of the time George was really receptive to ideas. The entire movie plot of Jabba the Hutt’s son being kidnapped, initially I had pitched a story…[George] had said, “Try to stay away from Jabba the Hutt, because I want to use Jabba in the live-action series.” I wrote this story about the Hutt kidnapping, and then at the next meeting he said, “Why didn’t you put Jabba in it?” “You told us not to put Jabba in it!” “Oh, you gotta put Jabba in it!” George really is open to all sorts of stuff.

Kind of fits in with the whole criminal underworld themes rumored to be included in the series.

Lucas himself instructed the writers of the Star Wars: Republic comic book series not to kill off the Quinlan Vos character. Lucas had originally written a scene for Revenge of the Sith involving Quinlan Vos, but ultimately, he only got a mention in the film.[15]

The Untitled Star Wars live-action TV series is a science fiction television series currently set to debut in 2012.[1][2] The series will be set between Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.[3] The project, which has yet to be given an official title, was first announced in April 2005 by Star Wars creator George Lucas at the Celebration III fan convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.[4]

The production will focus on minor characters from the Star Wars galaxy, rather than the main characters from the films. Originally, 100 one hour-long episodes were proposed, but at Celebration Europe in July 2007, producer Rick McCallum explained that it had the potential to run for up to 400 episodes, and “it’s something that can go on for years and years. One of the ideas is that we’ll have multiple series going on in about two or three years’ time.”[5] This supports a description given by Lucas as “one show that will split into four shows, focusing on different charactersShow Aims to Attract New “Adult Audience” on Cable Television

Star Wars Live Action series

Originally Posted by Doze

The surprise for us, though, was that we found it (Mos Espa) bustling with activity. A number of labourers were renovating, repainting and building new buildings. Ironically, the effort to build these alien structures was done in a very human way; one man applied plaster with his bare hands, others sat and smoked in the shade of an alien hall.
One worker who spoke English, Farouk Ben Ibrahim, came forward to explain. Renovations began back in December, he said, after an Italian film producer contracted locals. “He gives us money, and we fix it,” Ibrahim said. “He said there is another part of Star Wars filming here. In the summer, maybe.”

Interesting, I will try to get a verification on that. My father has a friend who’s in charge of tourist excursions into Sahara and the other regions of south-Tunis, including the Mos Espa set, I’ll ask him about any of this.

“Rumours about the pre-production of Star Wars, the live action series, to be shot in Australia, have been confirmed by several inside sources.
The quality and style of writing that will be used will be of the highest quality, and local, and writers will be sourced from outside traditional Science Fiction shows. Several big names within the Australian industry (including writers from the Award-winning Love My Way and the Award-winning Secret Life of Us) have been approached by Star Wars uber-producer, Rick McCallum.
Love My Way and Secret Life of Us can be characterised by the focus on relationships and emotional landscapes (traditional ‘chick shows’, if you will). Bringing this element into the world of Star Wars sees a marked departure of the final three films and animated Clone Wars, where the primary audience was children.
This throws the new series into a whole new spotlight, and should excite fans of the Star Wars universe looking towards more adult fare.
More solidification of rumour into fact will come as soon as possible.”
I hope that Comic-Con will finally start to reveal a little information about this new series.

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